Advocates for veterans say care at VA Medical Center in Providence has been timely

PROVIDENCE, R.I. — Local advocates have added their voices in support of the overall speed with which veterans receive appointments at the Providence VA Medical Center. They spoke in the wake of a nationwide...

PROVIDENCE, R.I. — Local advocates have added their voices in support of the overall speed with which veterans receive appointments at the Providence VA Medical Center. They spoke in the wake of a nationwide audit showing long delays in scheduling at many centers — and a scandal involving reports of deaths and a cover-up at the Phoenix VA center.

“The care has been timely and it has been appropriate and well-delivered at the Providence VA Center,” said Erik B. Wallin, executive director of Operation Stand Down Rhode Island, headquartered in Johnston.

“I have nothing but good to say,” said Chuck O’Connor, transition assistance adviser for the Rhode Island National Guard and a Vietnam veteran who himself receives services from the Providence center. “I never have a problem getting an appointment.”

The nationwide audit showed an average wait of about 74 days for a primary-care appointment with the Providence VA, one of the longest in the nation. But that figure was skewed due to circumstances at a single outpatient clinic in Hyannis, Mass., officials said.

Providence VA spokeswoman Leslie Pierson told the Associated Press that “a sharp increase in new patients seeking care” at the clinic combined with retirements of staff members brought the clinic to 168 percent of its capacity.

At the Providence main campus, however, new patients waited an average of 34 days to see a specialist, among the lowest of the average wait times nationwide.

“Are there places for improvement? Sure,” Wallin said. “The emergency room could be quicker — but for that matter, it could be quicker at Lifespan. By and large, our experience has been very good.”

The Guard’s O’Connor — who also advocates for all service members and veterans and their families, regardless of branch — agreed that the Providence center could benefit from additional health-care personnel. But overall, he said, “the quality is as good as any hospital in the country.”

The nationwide audit showed 33,570 people scheduled appointments in the Providence VA system within two weeks; 1,342 people waited 15 to 30 days for an appointment; 643 waited 31 to 60 days; 162 waited 61 to 90 days; 82 waited 91 to 120 days; and 31 waited more than 120 days.